The students of Don Bosco Nursery and Primary School (DBNPS) and EPAK celebrated the feast of St. John Bosco, where they were encouraged to emulate the virtues that made him a saint and to love Jesus, as He loves children.
St. John Bosco (born August 16, 1815, in Becchi, near Turin, Piedmont, in the Kingdom of Sardinia [Italy]; died January 31, 1888, in Turin; canonized on April 1, 1934; feast day on January 31) was a Roman Catholic priest who pioneered the education of the poor and founded the Salesian order. He is the patron saint of editors, publishers, youth, apprentices, and magicians.
The celebration of St. John Bosco’s feast day began with a Holy Mass presided over by Rev. Father Jean Bosco Ntirenganya, the Principal of IFAK. The mass was followed by a social gathering, shared meals, and a football match between the students of DBNPS and EPAK.
During his homily, Rev. Father Ntirenganya reminded the children that Jesus loves them and that they should love Him in return. He emphasized Jesus’ words, “Let the children come to me.” He said, “Jesus is merciful and loves children. We are called to have good hearts and to love Jesus because He loves us too.”
Rev. Father Ntirenganya urged the students to follow the example of St. John Bosco by striving for truth, respecting what deserves respect, and cultivating good virtues. He said, “Don Bosco pursued good virtues and became a saint. You too should strive to have good hearts and embrace all good virtues.”
About Don Bosco Nursery and Primary School (DBNPS)
Don Bosco Nursery and Primary School is the nursery section of IFAK, established by the Supreme Board of the Salesians of Don Bosco in Africa of the Great Lakes (AGL). It was created to harmonize the Salesians’ educational activities run by the Kimihurura IFAK community. The Provincial Chapter decided to establish a Private School Complex with three levels—Nursery School, Primary School, and Secondary School—to improve the quality of education and maintain high performance.
About Ecole Primaire d’Application de Kimihurura (EPAK)
EPAK was founded by the Salesians of Don Bosco in 1990 and is located in Kimihurura Cell, Kimihurura Sector, Gasabo District, in Kigali City. Initially, it was a training center for students enrolled in the education department at IFAK. However, after 1996, the education department at IFAK was replaced by the Department of Sciences, and EPAK remained as a government-aided school, continuing to provide education to young people in its vicinity.
